Jackie

Jackie

Took one last look in the mirror

And was pleased with the results.

Hair

Big

Lips

Glossy 

Dress

Holding all the wrong bits in

Showing all the right bits off.

Decided to forego wearing a coat

So Jimmy would get the full impact

Upon first sight.

 

She waited

At the bus stop

Sat down

changing her comfy pumps

For killer heels.

Looking fierce

As Tyra would say.

 

She made out his silhouette

In the oncoming bus.

Butterflies

She didn’t know why

They’d been together a year

But two weeks had

seemed a lifetime.

 

Jimmy

Alighted the bus

Bronzed and buff

Though scruffier than she’d hoped

But still her Jimmy

Smiling his smile

A beautiful boy.

 

They kissed

A long kiss

though it wasn’t too fresh.

On the breath

A hint

of beef

Or something

“What have you been eating?”

She asked

With a smile that was fake

“some crisps”

He might have waited

Though still

It was great

to have him home.

 

They walked into town

Conversation quite stilted

She made light of his scruffy jeans

He reasoned he’d had no time

to unpack.

She explained

she was only joking

He didn’t reply.

She smiled

Like they were happy.

 

She sat

Overdressed

In the pub

With his mates.

She’d hoped for a bar

Just the two of them.

 

He shouted abuse

At a screen

showing football.

He laughed

A laugh

She didn’t recognise

as his own

Coarser

And lacking the warmth she was used to.

Her hand on his knee

“So how was the holiday?”

He answered abruptly

and kissed her to hush

then sent her with money

for drinks.

 

Jackie

Wondered

Why Jimmy was being

such a dick.

Perhaps

She reasoned

She’d just misjudged

The nature of the night.

Stood

Alone

At the bar

She felt

A cheeky squeeze

on her bum cheek.

Turning round to cuddle and flirt

With her apologetic Jimmy

She witnessed anything but.

A gropey sleaze

In office wear

Loosened tie and sweating.

“Alright love, on your own?”

“Fuck off, prick.”

“Alright, calm down, yer fat slag.”

The creases on his face

Matched by those of his shirt

The grinning lech

Slithered

Back to his cave.

Jackie

Upset and body-conscious

Tottered back to Jimmy

“that man really upset me”

Jimmy

cursed

at the football.

“Jimmy, he called me a slag”

“Ignore him babe, he’s an arsehole”

 

Jackie and Jimmy

Stood at the bus stop

With every one of his mates.

Jimmy laughed

His blokey new laugh

As Jackie smiled

To seem part of it.

The bus arrived

The mates piled on

Jimmy

Held back

For a kiss

Then joined them

Happily leaving Jackie

Alone

At the bus stop.

She sat

Removed her heels

For pumps

And headed back for home

Unsure

As to what had happened

To Jimmy

Her Jimmy

That went on holiday

And hadn’t come back.